Better Living Through Chemistry
"Better Living Through Chemistry" is the eighth episode of Miami Vice's third season. The episode premiered on November 14, 1986. Summary Tubbs' former NYPD partner frames him when he kidnaps a drug chemist trying to make synthetic cocaine for a dealer. Plot At a bar, Crockett & Tubbs are meeting with a man named Mack (Rob Nilsson) regarding some synthetic cocaine, while Izzy and another man, who is a chemist named Luna, are sitting watching the dancing girls. Izzy then goes up to see the DJ who also works for Mack, and talks about Iacocca and mindless stuff before the DJ chases him off, then he blows Tubbs' cover by announcing to the entire club who he is and that he is one of NYPD's finest. At OCB, Tubbs reveals the man that blown his cover is Clarence Batisse (Victor Love), his former partner at NYPD who was dismissed because he shot a bookie in a numbers bust, NYPD's IAD investigation hinged on Tubbs' testimony (as the only other cop on the scene), which contradicted Batisse's that the bookie had a gun. Castillo wants Luna run down and to check with Izzy. Izzy still has the greyhounds at his place, the same ones who he had previously and he reveals that he was hired by Mack to try breaking through Luna's mental block caused by his pre-occupation (or "pre-''exhibition''" as Izzy says) with sex, and leaves him unable to do his work. Tubbs stops by to see Batisse who is still bitter about Tubbs' not standing up for him regarding the shooting. After his dismissal, he lost his wife Emeretta to suicide, and his kids went to her mother (because Clarence was not considered a "fit" parent). Now he works for Mack at his club as a DJ, not seeing the nefarious activities going on around him. Meanwhile, Crockett & Mack meet with a man named Evans who agrees to purchase the synthetic cocaine, and to test it out. When he does, it kills him in seconds. At the Police Lab, tests indicate the synthetic cocaine is the closest anyone has seen to a pure synthetic yet. All that's needed to make it pure (and legal) is to reduce the potency and clean up the analog to the molecule, and if this is done cost-effectively, the entire drug market would be undercut and set off a messy drug war. Izzy introduces a Hispanic, Sangres, who is interested in becoming a partner to supply the Hispanic market. Mack says he doesn't want any partners that don't speak English. Batisste (after stopping by Mack's to pick up money for tapes) makes a call that Sangres can pick up Luna at 11:00 at the club. Back at the club, Izzy takes Luna out to Mack's bar to watch dancing girls, but Batisste leads them out right before a shootout occurs, killing the three shooters (members of Sangres' gang) and some of Mack's men. At OCB, Castillo wants Mack taken down to prevent a drug war, but Crockett wonders who they are really after, as Batisste is not answering his phone, and how he & Izzy managed to escape the shootout unscathed. Tubbs is upset about Crockett feeling Batisste is guilty, Crockett reminds him about his tie to Batisste, Tubbs wonders how Crockett would handle a similar situation if he were the one on the hot seat instead of Batisste, which gets Castillo's attention, and he hands Tubbs a highly confidential (and off the record) NYPD IAD report that Tubbs was never able to get. Tubbs asks Castillo to go to New York regarding the report, and he is given 24 hours. Tubbs goes to see the bookie Lucas that Batisste shot, who gave IAD some bogus statements saying he hid after his partner went down, but actually he came out self-confident. Tubbs mentions he can help Lucas with his current situation if he tells the truth, and Lucas confirms a gun did exist, hidden in the air conditioning vent, exonerating Batisste. Meanwhile, Batisste has Izzy & Luna in a rundown room, trying to get the chemist to work. Izzy calls Mack claiming he was kidnapped by Sangres, and that Sangres wants a million dollars to get the chemist back, and to prove themselves Mack wants a picture of Izzy & Luna with a headline from today's paper. Crockett calls Castillo to update him and that he feels Sangres doesn't have Luna. Luna then samples his own product, and drops dead. Batisste takes the picture anyway to send to Mack. Tubbs sees Batisste's girlfriend Melody (Patti Owen) wanting to see Batisste, when Melody tells Tubbs Batisste doesn't want to see him, Tubbs fills her in. Later Batisste sees Tubbs, saying he saw Melody, and that Luna was kidnapped by Sangres' men and will set up Mack, but they want to meet Tubbs by the marina at 6:00am the next morning...which is actually a setup. Izzy, who was locked up by Batisste after Luna died, breaks out and calls Crockett to let him know that Luna was dead and Batisste was responsible. Castillo informs Tubbs NYPD will reopen the case on Batisste due to the new information, and asks Tubbs if he needs backup on his meet with Sangres, Tubbs declines. Mack receives the picture and a ransom note wanting $1 million delivered to Batisste. Mack believes Tubbs is involved and offers Batisste $150,000 to kill Tubbs. At home, Batisste calls Mack to let him know where the meet with Tubbs goes down. Melody tells Batisste of what Tubbs did for him, and that NYPD may give him his job back with full back pay. Batisste is horrified and goes to the marina to set right what he just done. Switek & Zito are at the marina observing the meet, Batisste lets Tubbs know about the hit on him, then both Sangres' & Mack's goons begin firing, Batisste, Tubbs & Crockett kill all the shooters, including Mack. Batisste explains what happened to Tubbs, Tubbs is stunned his old partner would do what he did, that the Clarence Batisste he knew wouldn't have done such a thing, and Clarence said the Batisste Tubbs knew died eight years ago. He's taken in by Tubbs, without handcuffs, as he was a police officer. "Ripped From The Headlines" In this episode, designer drugs (like synthetic cocaine) and their dangers are a story focus, they are still a danger today (like Ecstasy). Notes * This is the second episode that the song "Born To Be Wild" is featured, the first being during the boat race with Louis McCarthy. * Gina & Trudy do not appear in this episode. * Throughout the episode, the flute opening of "Sledgehammer" is heard blended into Jan Hammer's music at appropriate moments. Music *"Born to be Wild" by Steppenwolf (Opening sequence in bar) *"Tequila" by The Champs (Crockett & Tubbs go see Izzy) *"Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel (In bar) Quotes *"I conglomerate only with intellectuals--knowledge is power!" -- Izzy to Clarence the DJ Category:Miami Vice Season 3 Episodes